Thickness gauge



June 21, 1949. a. H. RENDEL 2,474,117

' THICKNESS GAUGE Fi'led Dec. 2:5. 1946 90 pomse- VOL 77465- W Inventor: 6509 5 H BEA 05L,

Patented June 21, 1949 2,474,117

THICKNESS GAUGE George H. Rendel, Mount Lebanon, Pa., assignor to Carnegie-Illinois Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Application December 23. 1946, Serial No. 717,993

Claims.

. 1 This invention relates to a thickness gauge and more particularly to a gauge for use in gauging the thickness of strip being rolled at high speeds in a continuous hot rolling mill. By accurately 2 stand. Therefore, the gauging roll around which the strip wraps must be lowered when the tail end of the strip approaches the gauging position and must remain lowered until the leading end of the and continuously determining the thickness of 5 succeeding strip has entered the second roll stand this strip, marked economies and improvements between which the gauge is located. The mill in the qualityof the strip can be made. Conmust then be raised into contact with the net; ventional thickness measuring devices such as rip. Since manual operation of this more flying micrometers are inaccurate nd t iliment requires considerable attention and there ciently rugged to withstand the impact and shock is no nce that th Op ra r ill. alway loads ncountered i strip r lli Th appamove the rolls at the desired time, the gauging ratus of my invention is particularly adapted for roll must be automatically lowered and raised is gauging material having a thi k b tw obtain the best results. In order to avoid undue .040 and .260 inch at speeds of 1000 to 3000 feet shock n t e au in rolls wh n on f the sails per minute, on previously kno gauges o t ing rolls is raised into gauging position, the rolls.

ference in length between the outer and inner' strip surfaces is expressed by the equation:

where l is the differential length, L is the length of the inner strip surface as thegauging position, t is the thickness of the strip, and r is the radius when in non-engaging position, must be rotated at a peripheral speed equal to or slightly in ex cess of that of the entry work roll in the pre ceding stand.

It is an object of my invention to provide a thickness gauge which will accurately and continuously measure the absolute thickness of a strip as it moves continuously past the gauging means.

Another object is to provide means for automatically raising and lowering a roll of the gauging device as lengths of strip enter and leave the gauging device.

Still another object is to provide apparatus for of the deflector roll. From this the following automatically rotating the gauging rolls before equation is obtained: 1 they are moved into gauging position.

. If These and other objects will be more apparent (2) i= after referring to the following specification and Thus, if the difference in length between the outer and inner strip surfaces is measured and compared to the length of the inner surface measured at the surface of the deflector roll, the strip thickness at this point can be determined. As indicated by the above formulae, the outer surface of the strip is longer than the inner surface at the gauging point and therefore a differential in speed between the outer and inner surfaces exists at this point and this differential speed, which is proportional to the strip thickness, is employed to measure the strip thickness. In order to pass the strip around an arc of the roll, it must be deflected from the normal pass line between a pair of roll stands. While the hot strip rolling operation is called continuous, the operation is actually intermittent since the ends of consecutive strips are not joined together. As the leading end of a strip passes between adjacent stands, it must travel in a straight line to enable it to be fed at high speeds into the second attached drawings in which the single figure is a diagrammatic view of my invention as applied to a hot strip mill.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the reference numerals 2, 4 and 6 indicate the last three roll stands of a hot strip mill, the stands being equipped with drive motors 8, l0 and I2, respectively. Power for driving the motors is supplied by a generator M. The gauging apparatus is located between roll stands 4 and 6 and it will be understood that the roll stands 4 and 8. instead of being working rolls, could be pinch rolls or any type of conveying device which will maintain tension on the strip S as it passes there-- between.

The gauging apparatus comprises a spring loaded semirigidly mounted gauge roll it which rides on the upper or outer surface of the strip S and a movable gauge roll I8, which is adapted to contact the lower or inner surface of the strip. The roll I8 is carried on an arm 20 which is attached to a rotatable shaft 22, the latter being supported by bearings, not shown. A gear 24 is attached to the shaft 22 and engages a rack 20 which is actuated by an air cylinder 28. Air is applied to the air cylinder 28 through the conduits ll and theflow of air is controlled through a suitable solenoid valve 8!. Synchronous transmitters l4 and 38 are mechanically connected to rolls II and I8, respectively. The transmitters may be of any suitable type, but are preferably A. C. "Synchro-tie machines having a threecircuit armature winding and a three-circuit field winding, the field winding being connected to an A. C. power source LI, L2 and LI. The armature circuits of the transmitters are connected to a differential receiver 80, which is also an A. C. Synchro-tie machine having a three-circuit armature and a three-circuit field winding. The armature of one transmitter is connected to the field windings of the receiver 38 and the armature of the other transmitter is connected to the armature winding of the receiver 38. The construction and electrical characteristics of the above combination of equipment is such that rotation of either transmitter produces a synchronous rotating magnetic field in those windings of the receiver to which it is connected. This rotating field causes the armature of the receiver to rotate an equal amount in the same direction as the rotationof the transmitter. Thus, if the armatures of -both transmitters are rotated the armature of the receiver will rotate at a speed which is the algebraic sum of the speeds of rotation of the transmitters.

When air is admited into the right hand end of air cylinder 2!, the roll I8 is moved to the gauging position shown in dotted lines with the strip S being forced into an arcuate path of contact with the roll it and into line contact with roll it, thus causing the rolls to rotate at speeds which are directly proportional to the lineal speeds of the inner and outer surfaces of the strip, respectively. This, in turn, causes the transmitters 34 and 36 to rotate at these respective speeds. Forward motion of the strip S rotates the transmitter 34 in a counter-clockwise direction and rotates transmitter 36 in a clockwise direction. Thus, the synchronous rotating magnetic fields produced by the transmitters are in opposite directions and consequently the armature shaft of the differential receiver 38 rotates at a speed which is directly proportional to the difference in the lineal speed of the inner and outer surfaces of the strip. The magnitude of the differential speed of the inner and outer surfaces of the strip is a function of the thickness and speed of the strip. A tachometer generator 40 is mechanically connected to the shaft of receiver 38 and its voltage output is therefore directly proportional to the differential speed of the gauging rolls and the strip speed. If 'the strip speed is maintained constant, the strip thickness can be visually indicated by connecting a voltmeter across the terminal of generator 40, which, for convenience, could be calibrated to read strip thickness in thousandths of an inch. However, in commercial operations, the speed of rolling varies and consequently, even though the strip thickness remains constant, the voltage output of generator 40 will vary directly with the strip speed. To take care of this condition a tachometer generator 42 is mechanically connected to the transmitter 36 so that its output varies directly with the strip speed.

As shown by Equation 2, the ratio of strip speed 4 to differential speed of the outer and inner surfaces is constant for a given strip thickness so that the ratio of the voltages of generators 40 and 42 serves as a measure of strip thickness under conditions of varying strip speed. The ratio of the voltages of generators 40 and 42 can be measured, indicated and recorded in various ways. As shown, the voltage output from generator 42 is connected to a suitable voltage divider network comprising a slide wire 44 and resistors 4.8 and 48 by means of wires I, 52 and 54. If desired, a capacitor Bl may be used in the network to smooth out the voltage ripple occasioned by the commutator bars of the armature of generator 42. The voltage output of generator 4. is connected to another voltage dividing network comprising resistors It, 00 and 82 by means of wires 84, 52 and It. A capacitor 88 may be used in this network to smooth out the voltage ripple caused by the commutator bars of the armature of generator 40. The negative terminals of generators 40 and 42 are connected through wires 50 and 64. The contact arm II of'the slide wire 44 is electrically connected to a vibrating contact I2 of a converter 14. The stationary contacts 18 of the converter are connected to the primary windings I8 of an input transformer N and the center tap of the primary windings II is connected to the voltage divider network by a wire 82. Power for driving the vibrating contact I2 is obtained from an energizing coil 84 in conjunction with a permanent magnet 8!, the coil 84 being connected to an A. C. source LI and L2. The converter I4 is, in principle, a single pole, double throw switch which is operated in synchronism with the line voltage of the power supply LI and L2 by continuously energizing the coil 84 from the power supply lines, the switch being polarized by means of the permanent magnet 88 so that one of the stationary contacts 18 will always be in contact with the vibrating contact 12 during the positive half cycle of the supply voltage and the other stationary contact will be in contact with the vibrator during the negative half cycle. The slide wire 44 is calibrated to read strip thickness in decimal parts of an inch and its contact arm Hi is mechanically connected to a motor 8| which is a reversible induction motor having two windings, one continuously energized from the A. C. source LI and L2, and the other bein electrically connected to a power amplifier 90. An electronic voltage amplifier 92 is connected to the amplifier and also to the secondary winding 94 of transformer 80, the transformer functioning as an inductive coupling between the measuring circuit and the electronic voltage amplifier II.

The above described circuit functions as follows: The voltage drop across slide wire 44 varies directly with the voltage output of generator 42 while the drop across resistor l2 varies directly with the voltage output of generator 4'. The two voltages oppose each other and can be balanced by adjusting the position of the slide wire contact arm HI. When the opposed potentials are balanced, the position of the contact arm 10 represents the ratio between the voltage outputs of generators 40 and 42, thus also indicating strip thickness. Adjustment of the contact arm III is automatically made in the following manner. When any unbalance in potential exists between contact arm II and wire 82, the potential is impressed on the primary windings 18 through the vibrating contact 12 of the converter 14. This potential appearsinthesecondarywindingflof the transformer as an alternating current whose magnitude is proportional to the D. C. unbalance between contact arm I8 and wire 82. This alternating current is transmitted to'the voltage amplifier 82 where it is amplified from a low value of several microvolts to a higher value of several volts. From here the current is transmitted to the power amplifier 88 and thence to the balancing motor 88 causing the motor to rotate and move the contact arm I8 until the electrical balance is restored.

As previously stated, the balancing motor 88 is a reversible induction motor having two windings, one of which is continuously energized from supply lines'LI and L2 and the other being energized from the power amplifier 88 with a current whose phase relation with respect to that of the line current determines the direction of rotation and whose magnitude determines the rotational speed of the motor. Therefore, the phase relation and the magnitude of the power applied to the motor 88 are controlled-by conditions existing in the measuring circuit. If the measuring circuit is balanced there is no potential'to convert or amplify and the balancing motor its at rest. If unbalance exists the motor moves contact arm I8 along the slide wire 44 until balance is restored. A continuous record of the thickness can be made by attaching a recording pen to the arm I8 and providing suitable'charts driven by a separate driving motor incorporated into the indicating potentiometer for this purpose. When it is desired to indicate the thickness of the strip at a point removed from the balancing circuit, a synchronous transmitter 88 is mechanically connected to the balancing motor 88 and is electrically connected to a synchronous receiver 88. A pointer arm I88 is fastened to the shaft of the synchronous receiver 88 and indicates on a dial I82 the relative position of the contact arm 18 on the slide wire 44. In the present invention the dial I82 has 260 divisions, each indicating one-thousandth of an inch. This remote indicating apparatus functions as follows: The synchronous transmitter 88 and receiver 98 are of the well known Selsyn type, each device having a field winding which is connected to a suitable fleld source LI and L2 and a, three circuit armature winding with the armature windings of the transmitter being electrically connected to those of the receivers. Rotation of. the transmitter produces a simultaneous rotation in the receiver, the amount and direction of rotation being the same as that of the transmitter. Since the transmitter is driven by the balancing motor 88, which moves the contact arm I8 to maintain balance in the measuring circuit, the strip thickness will be registered on the dial I82. While only one indicating means is shown, it will be understood that several can be provided by using additional receivers 88, pointers.l88 and dials I 82.

As an example of the performance of the measuring circuit, it will be assumed that the strip is traveling at a speed of 1000 feet per minute and that the strip thickness is .050 inch. Under these conditions the voltage output from generator 48 may be assumed to be .50 volt and the output from generator 42, 10 volts. The resistor 82 is fixed at a low ohmic value and the resistors 58 and 88 are selected so that when generator 48 produces 0.50 volt, the voltage drop across resistor 82 will be .005 volt. The slide wire 44 also has a relatively low resistance while the resistors 48 and 48 are selected so that when generator 42 produces 18 volts, the voltage drop across the slide wire 44 is .028 volt. The convertor I4 and amplifiers 88 and 82, through the balancing motor 88, are arranged to maintain the measuring circuit in balance so that under the conditions specified, the contact arm I8 will be moved to the point. where the voltage drop is .005 volt which is approximately one-fifth of the total length of the slide wire 44 and which corresponds to the mark .050 on the calibrated scale.

v If the strip speed is increased to 2000 feet per minute and the strip thickness is held constant. the voltage output of generator 48 will increase to 1.0 volt and the output of generator 42 will increase to 20 volts. As a result, the voltage drop across resistor 82 will be .010 volt and that across slide wire 44 will be .050 volt so that the balance point for the measuring circuit will remain unchanged at approximately one-fifth the length of the slide wire 44. In other words, doubling the speed exactly doubles the voltage outputs of generators 48 and 42 and since the ratio of the voltages remains constant, the measuring circuit retains its balance. If, however, the strip speed is held at 1000 feet per minute and the strip thickness is increased to .10 inch, the voltage output of generator 48 will increase to 1.0 volt while the output of generator 42 will remain at 10 volts. Under these conditions the drop across resistor 82 becomes .010 volt, while that across slide wire 44 remains at .025 volt. The balance point for the measuring circuit therefore moves approximately two-fifths of the total length of the slide wire 44, which point corresponds to .10 inch on the calibrated scale, the contact arm I8 being moved to this position by the motor 88. From the foregoing it is seen that unbalance in the measuring circuit results from changes in the gauge of the strip and not from changes in speed.

Automatic means are provided for controlling the solenoid valve 32. For this purpose, load relays I84 and I 88 are connected in circuit with the motors 8 and I2, respectively, and are provided with contacts I88 and H8 which c ose when the strip enters the respective roll stands and opens when the strip leaves the stands. Contacts I88 and H8 are connected in series with the coil 2 of a control relay II4 which has normally open contacts H8 and I I8 and a normally closed contact I28. Power for this circuit is obtained from the A. C. power source L2 and L8 and includes the disconnecting switch I22.

The contact H8 is connected in series with the coil of the solenoid valve 82 and the arrangement is such that when contact H8 is closed the solenoid coil of valve 82 is energized and air is admitted to the right Side of cylinder 28 to raise the roll I8. Conversely when contact 8 opens the solenoid coil is deenergized and air is admitted to the left hand end of cylinder 28 cansing the roll I8 to be lowered. The construction of valve 32 is such that when air is admitted to one end of the cylinder, the op osite end is simultaneously vented.

The rotation of the rolls I8 and I8, when in non-gauging position, is accomplished as follows: a variable speed motor I24 is mechanically connected to roll I8 through the shaft of transmitter 34. Motor I24 is preferably a shunt wound D. C. machine supplied from the D. C. power source I28. A disconnecting switch I28 controls the flow of power to the motor I24. The speed of motor I24 is regulated by means of an adjustable rheostat I88 connected in circuit with the shunt field I82 of the motor. The motor armature I84 is connected to the D. C. source I28 through the normally closed contact I20. A resistor'l88 is connected across the contact I20. when contact I28 is closed theresistance I88 is shorted out and the motor I24 develops full power. Since the motor drives roll I8 through the shaft of transmitter 84, which is electrically connected to transmitter 38 through the diflerential receiver 88, the motor I24 in rotating transmitter 34 will also rotate transmitter 88 if the armature of the receiver 88 is prevented from rotating. The direction of rotation of transmitter 38 will be opposite to and at the same speed as that of transmitter 84. Since transmitter 38 is connected to roll I8, the rolls I8 and I8 will be driven at synchronous speed. Rotation of the receiver 38 is prevented by a magnetic brake I38 which is so constructed that it is applied when its operating coil is deenergized. The operating coil is connected to the power source L2 and L3 through the normally open con-- tact II8 so that the brake is applied when the coil II2 of relay H4 is deenergized, which condition also moves the roll I8 to the non-gauging position. The purpose of resistor I38 is to provide limited armature current to motor I24 when the control relay II4 operates to raise the roll I8 into engaging position. When contact I20 opens, the resistor I30 is connected in series with the armature I34 and the ohmic resistance of resistor I38 is such that the torque output of motor I24 is limited to a value which is Just suflicient to overcome the no-load resistance of the motor and the frictional load of roll I6.

The operation of the device is as follows:

With no strip passing through the rolls 4 and 8, the position of the various parts of the gauge and operating circuits will be thatshown in full lines in the drawings. Under these conditions the contact I20 is closed and the rolls I6 and I8 will be rotated. When a strip S passes through the roll stands 2 and 8 the contacts I08 and H will close, thus completing the circuit to coil II2 to close contacts H8 and H8 and open contact I20. The closing of contact II8 completes the circuit to the valve 32 causing the roll I8 to rise to the gauging position shown in broken lines. Closing contact II8 releases brake I38 permitting the rotation of receiver 38. Opening contact I20 places the resistor I38 in series with the armature I34 of motor I24, thus reducing the motor torque output. With the roll I8 in its broken line position, the strip S passes around an arc of the roll I8 with the roll I8 bearing on the top thereof. The strip causes the rolls I8 and I8 to rotate at the speed of the strip at the top and bottom points and the gauge functions to measure the gauge of the strip in the manner described above. As soon as the trailing end of the strip S passes out of the rolls 2, the contact I08 opens and de-- energizes the coil 2, which in turn opens contacts H8 and H8 and closes contact I20. Opening contact II6 lowers the roll I8 to its full line position. Opening contact II8 applies the brake I38 which prevents the transmitter 38 from rotating. Closing contact I20 causes the motor I24 to develop full torque, thus again driving rolls I8 and I8 at a speed equal to or slightly greater than that of the rolls of roll stand 4. The apparatus will remain in this position until the leading edge of the next succeeding strip passes through the roll stand 6. If it is desired to return the gauge and associated mechanism to the normal position at any time the strip is passing through both stands 2 and 6, it is only necessary 8 tfi open the switch- I22, thus deenergising coil While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for gauging the thickness ofmoving strip, comprising a rotatable roll around an arc oi! which the strip is adapted to pass, a rotatable roll positioned to ride on said strip at the point where the strip is in contact with said first named roll, said rolls being driven by said moving strip,'means connected to be driven at a speed proportional to the speed of the first named roll, means connected to be driven at a speed proportional to the speed c! the second named roll, a difierential receiver-connected to both oi. said means for obtaining the difference in their speeds, a, tachometer generator driven by said difierentia] receiver, a tachometer generator driven at a speed proportional to the speed of the first named roll, and means for comparing the voltage outputs oi the generators to indicate the gauge of said strip.

2. Apparatus for gauging the thickness of moving strip, comprising a rotatable roll around an arc of which the strip is adapted to pass, a rotatable roll positioned to ride on said strip at the point where the strip is in contact with said first named roll, said rolls being driven by said moving strip, a motion transmitting device connected to be driven at a speed proportional to the speed of the first named roll, a second motion transmitting device connected be driven at a speed proportional to the speed 01' the second named roll, a dififerential receiver connected to said motion transmitting" devices for obtaining the diflerence in their speeds, a tachometer generator driven by said diflerential receiver, a tachometer generator driven at a speed proportional to the speed of the first named roll, and means for comparing the voltage outputs of the generators to indicate the gauge oi said strip.

3. Apparatus for gauging the thickness of elongated strip moving between two pairs 0! driven work rolls or the like, said strip normally moving in a plane passing through both roll passes, but being movable out of said normal pass line during gauging, which apparatus comprises a rotatable gauging roll around an arc of which the strip is adapted to pass, a rotatable gauging roll positioned to ride on said strip at the point where the strip is in contact with said first named gauging roll, said gauging rolls being driven by said moving strip, means connected to said gauging rolls for indicating the gauge of said strip, said gauging rolls being normally located on opposite sides of the strip, said second named gauging roll being spaced from the normal pass line, means for moving said first named gauging roll from its normal position across the normal pass line to its gauging position adjacent the second named gauging roll, and means responsive to the position of the strip for operating said moving means to move said first named gauging roll to its gauging position when the strip is passing through both pairs of work rolls.

. 4. Apparatus for gauging the thickness of elongated strip moving between two pairs of driven work roll or the like, said strip normally moving in a plane passing through both roll passes, but being movable out of said normal pass line during gauging, which apparatus comprises a rotatable gauging roll around an arc of which the strip is adapted to pass, a rotatable gauging roll positioned to ride on said strip at the point where the strip is in contact with said first named gauging roll, said gauging rolls being driven by said moving strip, means connected to said gauging rolls ior indicating the gauge of said strip, said gauging rolls being normally located on opposite sides of the strip, said second named gauging roll being spaced from the normal pass line, means for moving said first named gauging roll from its normal position across the normal pass line to its gauging position adjacent the second named gauging roll, means for rotating said gauging rolls in synchronism when they are out of gau i g position, and means responsive to the position of the strip for operating said moving means to move said first named gauging roll to its gauging position when the strip is passing through both pairs of work rolls.

5. Apparatus for gauging the thickness of elongated strip moving between two pairs of driven work rolls or the like, said strip normally moving in a plane passing through both roll passes, but being movable out of said normal pass line during gauging, which apparatus comprises a rotatable gauging roll around an arc of which the strip is adapted to pass, a rotatable gauging roll positioned to ride on said strip at the point where the strip is in contact with said first named gauging roll, said gauging rolls being driven by said moving strip, said gauging rolls being normally located on opposite sides of the strip, said second named gaua roll being spaced from the normal pass line, a motion transmitting device connected to be driven at a speed proportional to the speed or the first named gauging roll, a second motion transmitting device connected to be driven at a speed proportional to the speed or 2,077,146

10 the second named gauging roll, a difierential receiver connected to said motion transmitting devices for obtaining the difierence in their speeds, a tachometer generator driven by said diflerential receiver, a tachometer generator driven at a speed proportional to the speed oi the first named gauging roll, means for comparing the voltage outputs of the generators to indicate the gauge of said strip, means for moving said first named gauging roll from its normal position across the normal pass line to its gauging position adjacent the second named gauging roll, a variable speed motor mechanically connected to said second motion transmitting device, a brake for stopping rotation of said difierential receiver, an electrical control circuit operable when there is a load on the motors oi both or the pairs of driven rolls to move said first named gauging roll to its gauging position when the strip is passing through both pairs of driven rolls, to release said brake and to limit the torque on said variable speed motor to a value just sufiicient to overcome the no-load resistance thereof and the frictional load of the second named gauging rolls, said control being operable when there is no load on the motor of either of the pairs of driven rolls to apply said brake and rotate said variable speed motor to thereby rotate said gauging rolls in synchronism.

GEORGE E. RENDEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the Number Name Date 1,897,472 French Feb. 14, 1933 2,051,018 Umansh Aug, 11, 1936 Ell-t Apr. 18, 1987 

